Arietta G25 is a small and low-cost multi-chip module that integrates a 400MHz Atmel AT91SAM9G25 ARM9 CPU, 128MB of DDR2 RAM, a microSD card slot, a USB Device port, space for adding a WiFi module, and a 2×20-pin extension header with 2.54mm pitch.

This makes a great embedded Linux module for your next project. A bootable Debian Linux build for this module is available for download which you can install on a microSD card.

Note: There is no video or TFT output, but the SPI bus can be used for a small TFT display, and the I2C bus for a small alphanumeric LCD. There is no direct LAN interface, but the USB ports can be used with a USB-to-LAN adapter. Also, please note that not all the signals are available at the same time; some lines are muxed together. Default muxing configuration depends on the at91-arietta.dtb file stored on the first microSD partition which is used at startup by the Linux kernel.

Software Features

Linux Kernel version 4.2.x

Debian Linux "Jessie" 8.2

Buildroot Linux

Bootable Linux microSD images available to download which you can install yourself, or you can purchase cards with images already installed

Complete tutorials to build all from sources

Fully open-source firmware, software environments and toolchains available for free

Freely available tutorials and code examples

Thousands of open-source ready-to-use packages available from the Debian Wheezy for Armel repositories

GNU C, Python, Perl and PHP already installed in the available microSD images, for in-board development

Codiad Web-based IDE to edit your sources directly via browser

Shell-in-a-box Web-based AJAX terminal emulator to have access to the Linux command prompt

Powering the Arietta G25

The Arietta G25 module can be powered by 5V or by 3.3V.

5V Power Supply

Use the micro-USB port or header pins J4.1 (5V DC in) and J4.9 (GND). Never use both power inputs at the same time!

3.3V Power Supply

Use header pins J4.5 (3.3V DC in) and J4.9 (GND). Note that you cannot use the micro-USB connector anymore. To maintain the USB client function on the micro-USB, you must remove resistor R36. Then the micro-USB will not power Arietta, but the USB lines to the PC will work as usual.